Archive: Last Bill Status
- Signed by Governor

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S3151 - Details

S3151 - Summary

Requires convex mirrors on trucks.

S3151 - Sponsor Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3151
TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to convex mirrors
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill would amend Section 375 of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new subdivision 10-e to require
all trucks, tractors and tractor-trailers or semi-trailer
combinations: 1) registered in New York State, 2) having a maximum
gross weight of twenty six thousand pounds or more, and 3) a
conventional cab configuration in which a) more than half of the
engine length is forward of the foremost point of the windshield base
and b) the steering wheel hub is in the forward quarter of the
vehicle length, to be equipped with a convex mirror on the front of
the vehicle when operated on highways, other than controlled-access
highways, in cities having a population of one million or more.
JUSTIFICATION:
The inability of truck drivers to see the area
immediately in front of the truck has contributed to a significant
number of pedestrian deaths and injuries in New York City since the
mid-1980s. The bill is designed to reduce the risk of pedestrian
deaths and injuries which can occur when truck drivers are unable to
see persons directly in front of their vehicles. Trucks equipped with

"cross over" mirrors eliminates the truck driver's "blind spot,"
allowing the driver to see any person at least three feet tall
passing at least one foot in front of the vehicle.
There is a clear pattern to these types of accidents. In most cases,
the truck is initially stopped or moving at slow speed. The driver
then proceeds, looking forward and not knowing that a pedestrian is
crossing directly in front of the truck (in this large and dangerous
"blind spot"). The pedestrian most often is an older adult or a
child. Many of these accidents could be prevented by the use of cross
over mirrors.
These mirrors have been required on school buses since the mid-1970s
to allow drivers to see children crossing in front of buses.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration's Traffic Safety Facts for 2005 Report
(the most recent report that is available), 71% of pedestrians
killed by large trucks were initially impacted from the front of the
truck.
Furthermore, from 1994 to 2003, in New York City, the number of
accidents involving trucks and pedestrians that resulted in death or
injury were 204 and 4,698 respectively. Cross over mirrors will prove
beneficial in lowering these statistics.
The benefits of these mirrors in preventing injury and/or death far
exceed their cost. Cross over mirrors are relatively inexpensive and
manufacturers typically offer them below list price, as well as
provide discounts for bulk orders. According to list prices, the
mirror heads themselves cost approximately $10 to $29 each; and
assembly kits are available for approximately $23 to $57 each which
include not only the mirror head itself, but also adjustable braces
and mounting hardware as well. The exact cost depends on whether it
is a hood mounted, short tripod or standard tripod kit that is being
purchased. This relatively minor cost represents an important
investment in the safety of people in New York City.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009-10: A.5869/S.2057
Similar to 2007-08: A.9207 and A.2666
2005-06: A.9704/S.2210
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law,
with provisions.

S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3151
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 10, 2011
___________
Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to convex
mirrors
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 10-e to read as follows:
10-E. EVERY TRUCK, TRACTOR, AND TRACTOR-TRAILER OR SEMITRAILER COMBI-
NATION REGISTERED IN THIS STATE HAVING A GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING OF
TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND POUNDS OR MORE, AND A CONVENTIONAL CAB CONFIGURATION
IN WHICH MORE THAN HALF OF THE ENGINE LENGTH IS FORWARD OF THE FOREMOST
POINT OF THE WINDSHIELD BASE AND THE STEERING WHEEL HUB IS IN THE
FORWARD QUARTER OF THE VEHICLE LENGTH, WHENEVER OPERATED WITHIN A CITY
HAVING A POPULATION OF ONE MILLION OR MORE ON HIGHWAYS OTHER THAN
CONTROLLED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS, SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A CONVEX MIRROR ON
THE FRONT OF SUCH VEHICLE OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES. WHEN SUCH VEHICLE
OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES IS BEING OPERATED, SUCH MIRROR SHALL BE
ADJUSTED SO AS TO ENABLE THE OPERATOR THEREOF TO SEE ALL POINTS ON AN
IMAGINARY HORIZONTAL LINE WHICH: (A) IS THREE FEET ABOVE THE ROAD, (B)
IS ONE FOOT DIRECTLY FORWARD FROM THE MIDPOINT OF THE FRONT OF SUCH
MOTOR VEHICLE, AND (C) EXTENDS THE FULL WIDTH OF THE FRONT OF SUCH VEHI-
CLE OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE COMMISSIONER, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION, MAY PROMULGATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS EXEMPTING FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBDIVI-
SION ANY VEHICLE OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES WHERE SUCH COMMISSIONER HAS
DETERMINED THAT THE USE OF SUCH CONVEX MIRRORS WOULD NOT INCREASE THE
VISIBILITY OF PERSONS OR OBJECTS LOCATED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF SUCH VEHI-
CLE OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04922-01-1
S. 3151 2

S 2. This act shall be deemed repealed if any federal agency or any
court of competent jurisdiction finally determines that this act would
render New York state ineligible for the receipt of federal funds.
S 3. Severability. If any clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph,
section or part of this act be adjudged by any court of competent juris-
diction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invali-
date the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to
the clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or part thereof
directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have
been rendered.
S 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is
authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date;
and provided that the commissioner of the department of transportation
shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occur-
rence of the provisions of section two of this act in order that the
commission may maintain an accurate data base of the official text of
the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effecting the
provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the
public officers law.

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